Net sales in the first half of 2014/2015 increase slightly by 8.5% over the same period of the previous year – Higher expenditure on expanding distribution and production structures – Research center opened in St. Louis – Stable results expected for the year as a whole: EBIT margin of at least 10%

Effective 1st October 2014, Dr. Peter Hofmann has taken over responsibility for the Sugarbeet and Cereals product segments as well as for Corporate Marketing of the globally active plant breeding company.

On 2 September 2014, the seed companies Momont in France and KWS in Germany have signed an agreement to transfer shares from the Momont family to KWS. This agreement was concluded in the context of the close and beneficial cooperation that has connected both enterprises since 1999, when KWS acquired 49% of the capital of Momont.

Alexander Drotschmann takes over the position as Head of the KWS Corn Division with the responsibility for KWS corn activities in North and South America. He succeeds Ruediger Strohm in this position, who has scaled back his responsibilities for personal reasons. Alexander Drotschmann is an experienced “seedsman” having worked for many years in various Marketing and Sales positions for Syngenta, and most recently for Bayer CropScience in North America. His native country is Germany where he attended the University of Kiel and received a degree in Agronomy. Alexander Drotschmann will be located in St. Louis (Missouri) in the new KWS Gateway Research Center. In his new role as Head of the KWS Corn Division for North and South America he becomes a member of the AgReliant Member’s Committee, a joint venture of KWS and Limagrain for corn breeding, production, and sales in North America.

After intensive and detailed breeding activities within the cooperation between KWS and Bayer CropScience the development of sugarbeet hybrids tolerant to herbicides of the ALS inhibitor group is now in its final stage. The first tolerant varieties will be entered into European official trials very soon. The joint technology will make sugarbeet cultivation easier, flexible in its timing and more sustainable.

Innovative plant research and breeding are vital prerequisites for a sustainable increase in global agriculture productivity. KWS therefore expands its research capacities in Germany while also building up a new research facility in the USA.

Net sales in the first six months up by 1.6% to €209.5 million – Continued expansion of research and development activities and higher expenditure by the sales and production units to ensure future growth

A moderate rise in net sales and a double-digit return planned for fiscal 2013/2014 – Higher research and development expenditure to secure future growth – Foresighted succession arrangement for the Executive Board. By a large majority, the shareholders of KWS SAAT AG (ISIN: DE0007074007) have approved the proposal of the Supervisory Board and Executive Board to increase the dividend to €3.00 (previous year: €2.80) per share. The Annual Shareholders’ Meeting has thus confirmed KWS’ approach of distributing an earnings-oriented payout. The increase is in line with the 7% rise in KWS’ operating income (EBIT) to €150.7 million in fiscal 2012/2013. The other recommendations by the Supervisory Board and Executive Board were also adopted by almost unanimous consent. A foresighted arrangement for a successor to Chief Executive Officer Philip von dem Bussche, who is retiring in December 2014, was also announced at the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting.

Overall about 600 researchers and young professionals applied from all over the world to take part in the Falling Walls Lab 2013. The idea contest is supported by A.T. Kearney, the global management consulting firm (Founding Partner) and KWS SAAT AG (Global Partner 2013). The goal of the contest is to foster scientific and entrepreneurial innovations and promote the exchange between young talents from of all fields.

Net sales rise by more than 16% to €1,147 million – EBIT increases by 7% to almost €151 million – Brazilian operations expanded – Dividend to be raised to €3.00 – Moderate increase in net sales anticipated for 2013/2014

The Falling Walls Lab is an international forum, which aims at building and promoting interdisciplinary connections between excellent young talents from all fields. The Falling Walls Lab is organized by the Falling Walls Foundation and supported by A.T. Kearney, the global management consulting firm (Founding Partner) and KWS SAAT AG (Global Partner 2013).

On the 10th of September, the new breeding station of KWS POTATO B.V., located in the Dutch village of Nagele near Emmeloord, has been put into official operation. The KWS Group has invested more than EUR 12 million for the project. This extension of the trial area plus the investment for new research facilities clearly indicate that the company is banking on additional growth in the seed potato business. One day before the Potato Europe exhibition, KWS inaugurated the station with more than 200 guests and employees.

The media have reported that Monsanto intends to withdraw all submissions for the cultivation of genetically modified crops in farming operations in the EU. The lack of public and political support for the use of genetic engineering methods in plant breeding has been well-known at KWS for a long time. This is the reason why we do not conduct field trials with genetically modified plants in Germany anymore.

During the last two years, KWS POTATO B.V. took huge steps to establish a new central potato breeding station near Emmeloord, Netherlands. Furthermore, the company is currently adjusting its strategic focus in breeding, seed production and sales.

The Supervisory Board of KWS SAAT AG has appointed Eva Kienle as a deputy member of the Executive Board of KWS SAAT AG effective April 1, 2013. Following a period of familiarization, she will take charge of Finance, Controlling and IT effective July 1, 2013. She will succeed Hagen Duenbostel, who assumes responsibility for corn operations on July 1, 2013. That will complete the changes on the Executive Board announced in March 2012 ( in press release 10 of March 15, 2012 ).

Net sales increase by more than 15% to €986 million – Operating income (EBIT) up 21% to €141 million despite much higher R&D expenditure – Growth in all product segments – Dividend to be raised by 22% to €2.80

The discussion on green genetic engineering in Germany has reignited in the past few days. At the same time, the public discussion on plant breeding is very frequently reduced to the topic of green genetic engineering. But for KWS, as a leading plant breeding company, the subject is much more complex: plant breeding is far more than just genetic engineering.